Shopify store examples: lessons from Gymshark and Allbirds

Let me take two examples: Gymshark and Allbirds. The linked Shopify case studies explain more about their platform decisions and operations. These are external examples. Here, I look at what you can see as a customer and the ideas that offers for your own store.

Gymshark: customers do not all start in the same place

On the Gymshark website, you can browse by product type, collection and activity, among other routes. You can head straight for leggings, or start with running or another type of training. Guides, such as sizing advice, provide extra help.

I think that is a useful starting point. One customer already knows which item of clothing they want. Another mainly wants something suitable for a particular sport. Different routes help answer those different questions.

That does not mean you need the same large menu. A smaller collection may only need a few clear routes. Look at how your customers search and the words they use. More menu items do not automatically make choosing easier.

Product presentation: make differences visible

Gymshark's product listings show details such as fit or support alongside names and prices. That helps shoppers spot differences while browsing. From the outside, we cannot know how much extra revenue this produces.

Other attributes may matter in your store. For a lamp, people want to know its size and the kind of light it gives. For skincare, intended use and quantity can help. For clothing, material and fit often matter.

Decide what someone needs for that first selection in each product group. What belongs on the product card, and what needs more explanation on the product page? Not every card needs to be equally full.

Allbirds: a recognisable product promise

The Allbirds homepage offers routes into women's and men's products, new arrivals and bestsellers. Comfort, everyday use and materials recur in the way the brand presents its products.

My takeaway: your brand promise should be recognisable throughout the store. In the way you organise products, the photos you choose and the information you provide. Your branding then helps explain why someone would choose that particular product.

Try this on your own site. Write down your main promise to customers in one sentence. Then visit five pages. Can you see that promise in specific information and images, or is it really just a line at the top of the homepage?

The work behind the scenes matters too

The Shopify case study about Allbirds also covers Ship from Store: making retail inventory available for online orders. It is a good example of how the buying experience extends beyond the design on your screen.

If stock information is wrong or delivery times are unclear, a different product page will not solve everything. You need to look at the systems behind it too. For a smaller store, a reliable inventory integration can already be a valuable step.

You do not need to copy the entire operation of a brand that size. Use the case study to ask a useful question about your own store. Allbirds' scale and results do not predict what will happen for you.

How can you use these examples in your own store?

For each example, write down what stands out, which customer problem it might solve and how you would check whether it helps in your store too.

Then choose one or two ideas to develop. Better information about variants, for example, or a route based on how a product will be used. Shape those ideas around your own brand, photography and product knowledge. You want the store to feel like your brand.

Test it with real products, including on your phone. Can someone find a suitable product, understand the differences and order easily? I think that is a much better test than whether the homepage looks impressive.